Abstract
Mn-based antiperovskite compounds in the form , where is a main group element and is C or N, undergo magnetostructural transitions with which these materials acquire magnetocaloric, giant magnetoresistance, and spin-transport properties, which can be modified or tailored by manipulating the compositions of numerous compounds. This enables closer investigations and better understandings of the underlying principles governing these properties. , which is a derivative of the prototype antiperovskite, would normally be expected to form a cubic structure with a homogeneous composition. Contrary to this, we find that the addition of Ni leads to a heterogenous compound consisting of an antiperovskite part and a Heusler insertions. The system shows kinetic arrest features, which we study as a function of Ni composition using the techniques of x-ray diffraction, magnetization, and neutron diffraction under a magnetic field.
5 More- Received 6 February 2020
- Revised 4 June 2020
- Accepted 2 July 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.024431
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